Desert Lake Navigation (Two Glaciers)

Make the most of every minute of your visit to El Chaltén by exploring and hiking through the northern part of Los Glaciares National Park, the Lago del Desierto Provincial Reserve, and the Gran Glaciar Vespignani area, with a variety of hiking options. You’ll also have time to hike the coastal trails of Punta Sur and catch a glimpse of the Huemul Glacier.

8:00 a.m. – Tour Start: El Chaltén – Punta Sur
We depart from our meeting point in El Chaltén and travel the 37 km that separate us from Lago del Desierto along a beautiful gravel road that runs alongside the Río de las Vueltas. During the trip, we provide important information about the area and stop at scenic overlooks.

10:00 a.m. – Departure (Punta Sur to Vespignani Glacier Reserve)
From the Punta Sur pier, we’ll sail for about 30 minutes, passing the Huemul and Crestón glaciers, before disembarking in the area of the Great Vespignani Glacier, located in the central part of the lake.

10:30 a.m. – Disembarkation and activities in the Vespignani area
Once there, under the supervision of an activity leader for your safety, you’ll have 3 hours to choose to hike all or some of the THREE trails available in the area, which are clearly marked according to difficulty and the level of exertion you’d like to undertake.
1:30 p.m. – Departure (Return to Punta Sur)
After a farewell hot chocolate, we’ll board the boat for the return trip to the Punta Sur pier.

2:00 PM – Disembarkation and activities in the Punta Sur area
There, you’ll have free time to explore the self-guided trails in the area with views of the Huemul Glacier; you can also hike to the foot of Laguna Huemul (Approximate time: 2 hours. Additional cost). At the scheduled time, the bus will take us to El Chaltén, where our adventure ends.

4:00 p.m. – Return trip: Punta Sur – El Chaltén (37 km)
5:30 p.m. – Arrival in El Chaltén

Trails in the G. Vespignani Area

• The Red Trail, with an elevation gain of 200 meters and a length of 2 km, allows us to reach the foot of the Glacier in one hour at a leisurely pace, offering an incredible panoramic view of the north face of Mount Fitz Roy.
• The Yellow Trail, with an elevation gain of only 50 meters over 1 km, takes us on a gentle slope in 30 minutes to a prominent viewpoint overlooking the Glacier.
• The Green Trail, as an option or complement to the other trails, is an interpretive walk with no elevation gain, totaling only 800 meters. Always within the wooded coastal area, it also boasts a viewpoint overlooking the Great Glacier.

INCLUDES:
• Round-trip transportation from El Chaltén to Lago del Desierto
• Boat tour on Lago del Desierto
• 3-hour activity in the Vespignani Glacier area
• Snack
NOT INCLUDED:
• Lunch box

– Appropriate for all ages
– Not recommended for people with limited mobility
– We recommend wearing several layers of comfortable clothing, comfortable shoes, a jacket (preferably waterproof), gloves, a hat, and a neck warmer or scarf. Bring water, sunscreen, and sunglasses.